The Princess and the Huntsman
by Soulfully Sadistic
Summary: Princess Gillian has always shirked her royal duties, opting for drinking and having fun. When huntsman Eli comes along, she decides that he just may be her gate into a different, and exciting, life. Fem!Prussia and Male!Hungary
1. The Adventure Begins!

Chapter 1:

**Hello, brosephs. New story. And, I know, some of you people are like, "FFF, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE YOU SHOULD BE UPDATING YOUR OTHER STORIES RAGERAGERAGE**." **WELL. THE TRUTH IS, I'M A LAZY BUTT WITH A SUDDEN BURST OF INSPIRATION. SO DEAL WITH IT. By the way, Princess Gillian is fem!Prussia. Eli is male!Hungary.**

King Ludwig of Turtinbeck was, in all simplicity, at his wits' end.

His daughter, Princess Gillian of Turtinbeck, simply refused to be a princess. She dressed like a boy, stuffed her long silver hair up in a cap, slumped in stature, could drink half her weight in beer (she was underage, too!), and blatantly refused her royal duties as a princess.

Needless to say, it was earning their Kingdom a bad reputation. Gillian could care less. In fact, the only people who knew her for who she really could be were her closest friends, the king himself, and her. To everyone else she was Gillian, the rash, loudmouthed, yet feminine-looking bastard who could drink anyone under the table.

Even though she herself would never admit it, she was actually very, _very_ nice to look at. When let down, waist-length silver hair (she could never bring herself to cut it) framed a pretty round face (she never really did outgrow her facial baby fat), big, sparkling red eyes and a slightly cocky grin that could light up anyone's day. She had a fondness for her little pet bird, "Gilbird", and used the word "Awesome" in almost every sentence. She could shoot the head clean off a bird from a mile away, and her spitting distance was nothing to be trifled with. She spent more time than anywhere in the stables, with her friends Antonio and Francis. Gillian alone was trouble. Gillian with _them_ was…bad. Very bad.

Although annoying, the king conceded that it didn't really cause _too_ much trouble. So he'd let his daughter be, for the time being. At least, until she became able to marry—18 years old. That would be a whole different story.

It really was too bad that her eighteenth birthday was next week.

* * *

><p>Eli Herdváry was the best huntsman around.<p>

From a mile away, he could see a rabbit, shoot it right in the head, and not move an inch from where he was standing. Oh, yes, he was the finest of the finest. Aristocrats all over the world traveled to the small city of Turtinbeck just to simply watch him hunt. His aim was the best, and he never disappointed.

However, he didn't come cheap.

That was why only Roderich Edelstein, richest man in Turtinbeck, had been the only one he'd ever worked for. He had been the only one able to afford him, and Eli liked him well enough. Good pay, nice house, enough to eat.

So Eli had absolutely no idea why he was running away. Feet pounding into the dirt, sweat beading down his forehead, brown-blond hair sticking to his face. He allowed himself a grim smile as he realized that this was exactly what he had been missing. The rush; the feeling of adrenaline pumping through his veins—this was good. This was _great._

Besides, he'd never really intended to stay forever at the Edelstein house, anyway.

He subconsciously put a hand up to the side of his head, to feel for the flower he always kept tucked in his hair—only to find that _it wasn't there_.

He skidded to a halt, and only then did he hear the calls behind him.

"Hey! _Hey! _The awesome me is calling you!"

Eli stopped and turned around, shoulders tense, gun cocked, ready to shoot at anyone. However, who exactly he saw was not quite what he was expecting.

Out from the trees came a slim, slim man, silver hair shoved up into a cap made of cloth upon his head. Red eyes glinted out from a pale complexion, and he wore a loose-fitting tunic and leggings. The man looked rather feminine to Eli, and, had it not been for his gait, he would have completely mistaken for a woman.

Eli set a withering glare upon the man. "What do you want with me?" he demanded.

The man seemed unfazed. "I think you should talk a little more nicely to the awesome one who retrieved your flower for ya." He dug into his pocket (where had that come from?) and produced a pink, pretty—if not slightly smushed—flower.

With a small gasp, Eli swiftly took the flower from his hand, immediately smoothing it out. He tucked it securely back in his hair.

The man was still there.

"Any specific reason you're still here?" Eli questioned, turning back around, his back to the mystery man.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see him shrug. "A thank-you would be nice." Before Eli could answer, he prodded on, "Hey—where are you going to in a rush?"

Eli scowled. This guy was really irritating! "None of your damn business," he growled, and began to walk forward. He heard footsteps follow him.

"Is it someplace exciting?"

"I don't know."

"How will you sleep?"

"I don't care."

"Sounds exciting!" The man's eyes lit up like a little child's. "I'm coming with you!"

"What?" Eli turned around, eyes wide. "Oh, no, you aren't. You'll only get in my way! I don't even know your name!"

"I'd never get in anyone's way!" The man proclaimed arrogantly. "My name's Gil! Nice to meet'cha!"

"Eli," Eli grunted. Oh, well. This guy didn't look too tough. He'd probably lose him on the journey, anyway.

* * *

><p>Gillian was having a blast.<p>

Like, a really, really good time.

She couldn't believe how easy it had been to sneak out of the castle! She should've tried this much sooner! Dressing up like a commoner was a piece of cake, and so was tricking someone into letting her tag along with them. Running away from home was going to be a snap, no problem. She only hoped she'd be able to keep her real gender a secret, or else she'd be screwed. She could only imagine the punishments her father was dreaming up for her.

She kept the air full with useless chatter, to hide her own nervousness. Eli was pretty cool, in her terms, if not a little boring. She could grow to like him.

**Woot! There ya go. That will probably be a multi-chapter story. Review if you like, review if you hate. ^^**


	2. When it has Given All it Can

Chapter 2:

Eli was annoyed beyond belief. For the better part of the journey, all this man had done was talk him senseless. From beer, to horses, to apples, to _candy_, Gil just didn't know the meaning of peace and quiet.

Eli had smacked Gil upside the head more than once along the journey, and even then Gill hadn't paid much attention. Eli was just getting that much closer to picking up his own gun and shooting himself in the head, just to end his misery. Now he was _really_ missing being at Roderich's place, where everyone was quiet and respectful, and where they _didn't_ have silver hair and pretty red eyes…

…Wait.

"Ack!" Eli said out loud, shaking his head to rid himself of his offending thoughts.

Gil ceased his chatter to look at Eli, genuine concern in his eyes. "H-hey…are you alright?" he asked.

"Shut up," Eli muttered crossly, "I'm fine."

"Are you suuuuure?" Gil smirked, dragging out the last word considerably.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Positive?"

"_Positive._"

"Abso-tooting-lutely?"

"Abso—that's not even a word, you idiot!"

"Kesesese!" And there was the annoying laugh. "I almost got you to say it! Next time you'll say it for sure—the awesome me says so!"

Even though he was annoying as hell, Eli decided that his presence was actually rather endearing. It kept him…entertained—in an _incredibly_ loose form. And, even though he was brash and bold, his mannerisms were rather feminine. Such as, when he would puff out his cheeks when he was irritated, or when he would blush and turn away, sputtering, when he was embarrassed.

Then again, it may be his slowly disintegrating sanity.

He really didn't doubt it.

* * *

><p>There were certain quirks that Gillian was noticing about Eli. His gait—practiced and slightly slim—made him seem as if he was some kind of nobility. His elegant gestures—with just a touch of raggedness—made Gillian want to turn away and smooth her hair out or something. It was driving her nuts! He was also a lot taller than her, which gave him full hitting access to her head. She didn't really mind, though. It was fun irritating people.<p>

Gillian looked up, reaching her arm up slightly, as if to pet Gilbird—but she realized he wasn't there. It had been happening a lot lately, and Gillian was starting to miss the little guy.

"Hey…" Gillian looked up at the sound of Eli's short, husky voice.

"Huh? What?"

Eli frowned a little, as if contemplating something very seriously. Then he spoke. "Why…why do you keep reaching to your head so much? Is there something bothering you?" …Not that he actually cared.

Gillian blinked, and then let out a sad chuckle. Eli realized with a vague pang that this didn't suit him. "Oh…my little friend—Gilbird. He's the most awesome bird _ever_." With slow, gradual steps, his tone became louder and more flamboyant as he animatedly described the bird. Somehow, someway…Eli kind of liked this better than the silence.

* * *

><p>Gillian poked her stick into the fire. "I'm <em>bored,<em>" she whined loudly.

"Then do something," Eli growled irritably.

"I dun' wanna!"

Eli had to roll his eyes. Really, he was more of a child than a man!

A pregnant silence followed, Gillian continuing to poke the fire. Embers darted into the dark sky, flitting away into nothingness. The two watched this for a while, and then Gillian spoke.

"…Where do you think they go?"

Eli looked down at her, bemused. "What are you talking about?"

"The flames." Gillian gestured toward the fire. "Where do they go?"

To be honest, Eli had never thought of this before. Fire was fire, and flames were flames. Flames disappeared, and the fire burned down. That was how it worked. He never really had been one to question things like this. "I guess…fire heaven?"

Eli waited for the laughing. When there was none, he shifted his gaze to the other man. Surprisingly, he seemed to be deep in thought. "They must have a very short life then," he concluded. It wasn't long before he spoke again. "Do you think they've served their purpose?"

"What?"

"The fire. Has it served its purpose before it dies?"

This was new. "Well," Eli mulled, "I guess it has. A fire's purpose is to warm things up. When it's given all it can, it dies out."

"When it's given all it can…" Gillian repeated. "It sounds…almost human." Her red eyes glistened with thought, and Eli could see them through the dark, along with the tufts of sliver hair.

As they lay down to sleep, Gillian practically half-dead, Eli, to his own surprise, was still thinking about their earlier conversation.

_When its given all it can…_

* * *

><p>Gillian's eyes snapped open. It was well into the night, she knew, and Eli was still soundly sleeping beside her. She knew by the even rising and falling of his chest, and by the serene look on his face.<p>

Slowly, quietly she inched away from him, scooting behind a nearby tree. She took a deep breath. Never in her life had she even _thought_ of doing this before. She reached inside her pocket, finding a small pocketknife—one she always kept with her. She watched as the blade glinted slightly in the moonlight.

Biting her lip, she looked back at Eli's sleeping form one last time. She had to make this quick.

Quickly and purposefully, she removed her cap, letting the long, silver hair fall down. She fisted a handful of it in long, pale fingers, and, with a small squeak, slashed the hair.

Gillian shakily opened her fingers, watching the severed hair fall down and the remaining hair curl up to the side of her face. She let a shaky smirk grace her face. She was being so awesome about this.

She was going to cut another piece off, when the crack of a twig caught her attention. Gasping, she jerked her head around, searching wildly for her intruder. The knife fell from her hands.

She only barely heard a soft voice say:

"Miss, if it's not rude of me to ask, why are you cutting such pretty hair?"

* * *

><p><strong>Dun. Dun. DUUUUN. LOL, so there's the second chapter for you people out there. :D I hope you enjoy it.<strong>

…**And…and if it's not too much to ask….could I at least have five reviews…?**

…**Please?**


	3. The Strange Violet Eyes

Chapter 3:

* * *

><p>"Miss, if it's not rude of me to ask, why are you cutting such pretty hair?"<p>

Finally recovering from her shock, Gillian "hmphed" and folded her arms. Who did this guy think he was? "It's not like I want to," she grumbled. "The awesome me is just doing it to keep my awesome identity a secret."

"And what exactly _is_ that identity?" The man stepped out, and Gillian could see light blond hair and violet eyes, slightly glinting in the moonlight. She couldn't help but faintly think that they were kind of pretty—alluring in a way. "Is it something that could endanger you?" Gillian could almost swear she heard a smile in that voice. Why wasn't it as infuriating as she thought?

"Kesesese!" Gillian threw her head back and laughed. This guy was pretty amusing. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret identity!" she chastised.

"I seem to have forgotten," the man said wryly, and stepped out of the shadows even more, so that Gillian could see the whole of him. Pale skin seemed to glow in the nighttime, and his features were rather…soft. Rounded. He wore green hunters' clothes, heavily padded, with a sword clasped to his waist. Gillian regarded it with silent reproach.

Quickly, out of force of habit, Gillian reached for her hat, making to stuff her hair inside it, but a cool hand stopped her. She jumped, and looked up to see that it was that exact man. "How did you…?"

The man shook his head slowly. "Don't cover it."

Gillian was bemused, and more than a little annoyed. "Stop talking in riddles! What are you saying?"

"Don't cover your hair. It's much too nice to be covered up."

"I"—

"You're lying to yourself. And the people around you. Be what you are, and make the best of it."

Gillian rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but feel a bitter pain in her chest. The knife beside her now looked more like a weapon than it had ever looked. She fidgeted a little, shifted around a bit. Then she glared up at the man.

"I can do whatever I like," she said it with more than a little hesitation. Jerkily she stood, refusing the extended hand the man offered her. "I'll be going now," Gillian said it more to herself than to anyone else.

Stooping down, she scooped her hat off the ground, the man watching with an apathetic expression. Slowly, looking him straight in the eye, she took her hat and put it upon her head, stuffing the last of her hair into it. Resisting the urge to stick out her tongue, she turned and walked back towards to camp.

She took a few steps before hesitating once more. Chewing on her thumb, she looked back, just to see if the man was there, if only to catch one more glimpse of his violet eyes.

He was gone.

It was only until she was closing her eyes, about to succumb to unconsciousness, that she realized that she had left her knife.

* * *

><p>Eli noticed that Gil was oddly quiet. The shorter man seemed thoughtful; spaced out, as if something was on his mind. Now, Eli hadn't known Gil for very long, he didn't even really <em>know<em> Gil. But he knew him well enough to know that Gil rarely even thought, if at all.

"Something on your mind?" he grunted.

Gil jumped a little, his cheeks turning a little bit red. He ducked his head bashfully.

Okay. Now Eli was just weirded out. "Are you okay…?"

"Yeah," Gil squeaked, his voice a little higher than usual, even cracking a little at the end. "Just awesome. As usual." Eli could hear him swallow thickly.

Eli furrowed his brows together, completely lost.

* * *

><p>She was in so much trouble.<p>

Oh, she was _screwed_.

She hadn't thought about _this_ time of month!

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! New chapter! Thank you so much for reviewing! (Though I'd enjoy it a little more if your reviewed as much as you favorite…) NEVERTHELESS…<strong>

**By the way, if I didn't make it clear before, Gillian's wearing pads on her chest to hide her…um…**

**ANYWAY.**

**SHORT CHAPTER I KNOW.**

**BUT NECESSARY FOR DEVELOPMENT.**

**I DON'T KNOW.**

**HIGH ON APPLE JUICE.**

**MY MOM DIDN'T HIDE IT THIS TIME.**

**WELL.**

**BYE.**


	4. In the Heat of the Moment

Chapter 4:

Gillian was biting her nails to the nub.

It was a cowardly habit, she always said, made for the weak.

But right now, she felt very, very weak.

And scared.

Not that anyone would know just by looking at her. On the outside, she was grinning (best she could), and laughing, and cracking jokes—which, by the way, earned her many smacks over the head.

But she felt the stickiness between her thighs.

It would only be a matter of time before she could see it. And _he _would see it too. And the cramps—oh God the _cramps_…

Gillian let out a grunt of pain, doubling over, as a wave of pain washed over her stomach area. Startled, Eli moved towards her, but she held up a restricting hand. "I'm fine, _ja_? Just a cramp, _ja?_" She bit her lip. Oh, geez. She only went into her native German when she was really nervous. _Really_ nervous.

She wanted to cry.

* * *

><p>Now, Eli was downright scared for his "comrade". It seemed the "cramps" ailing him were more serious than he was letting on. Inside he berated Gil for being so stupid and hiding something like this from him. Anyone with sense would worry!<p>

He watched warily as Gil straightened up once more, plastering a fake smirk onto his face. "See?" he said. "I _told_ her the awesome me would be fine!" Eli noticed how the other man's voice quivered more than a little as he spoke.

So Eli decided to take a different approach to the matter. "Do you want to take a break?"

Gil seemed to take on a resigned look, as if he'd given up on something. Then he half-shrugged—a sad lift of the shoulders, really, and answered in an incredibly small voice, "Yes. Please."

* * *

><p>Gillian rested gingerly, leaning into a tree, dampened by constant rain and humidity. Why hadn't she noticed the humidity before? She was careful to keep her legs together, before Eli was sitting <em>right across from her<em> and would probably be able to see any stains on her paints.

…But I digress.

The cramps were still coming at full force, but sitting down did a little bit to relieve them. Oh, how she wished she could have a nice, soft bed—

No.

Wait a minute.

Was she becoming _soft_?

No! That was _not_ awesome! Beer! Horses! Guns! Swords! Sweat!

That was better.

Speaking of sweat…she wiped a hand across her forehead for what seemed like the millionth time…the smell of the blood and the sweat was beginning to bother her, and she hoped, oh, she _hoped_ Eli couldn't smell it.

She cursed her lack of foresight. Why hadn't she packed extra underwear or something? Then again, where would she pack it? It wasn't like this was a vacation or something. She winced as she caught a whiff of the blood again.

An idea struck her.

"I'll be right back," she said to Eli, who simply nodded.

She stood up, keeping her hand on the tree to support her; the other was wrapped around her stomach. She hitched one foot forward, and then the other, making slow progress as she moved across the damp, soft, marshy ground. For the first time the loud chirps of the birds and the calls of different animals bothered her, and she felt that if she was sad and gloomy, the rest of the world should be too.

She glanced around, in search of the scent or sight of the lemongrass tree. She remembered her father teaching her about the wonderful smell it could make—of oranges and citrus. He'd even taught her how to make tea with it.

For once, she was grateful she had listened.

She caught sight of the little white tree, with its small, pale green pines sticking out. With a giant sigh of relief, she took hold of the branches and tugged, using her other hand to catch the falling pines. For moment, she held them to her nose, taking in the forest-like, citrus scent.

Then, looking around to make sure there were to be no prying eyes, she stuffed them right into her pants.

* * *

><p>Ludwig was worried.<p>

No, scratch that, he was _outraged_.

His daughter had run away many times before, of course, but she had never been gone this long. Usually her bum-like instincts would kick in and she would be back around dinnertime, if only to laze around and do absolutely nothing for the rest of the night.

But this time it was serious.

He'd sent every guard in the city to search for her. Every home was turned upside down; every bakery was searched, every blacksmith was rummaged. It had sent the whole town into a frenzy. The prince—no, princess was missing! What were they to do?

Antonio Fernandez Carriedo knelt in front of the distraught king, feeling rather distressed himself. He was one of Gillian's _closest_ friends, and news of her absence was rather frightening.

The bounty hunter raised his head a little, so that Ludwig could see his sharp green eyes through his tree bark-brown hair. "I _will_ find the princess," Antonio said, quietly, but with force. "And she will be home safe. I _swear_ it."

King Ludwig swallowed. Antonio was his best bounty hunter, but Gillian could be unpredictable. Shaking his head slowly and sighing, he said, "Please, find her soon, and safely. I wish you luck on your journey."

Antonio stood, nodded, and ran off, out of the palace. Once he was gone, Ludwig slumped into his seat, all alone.

_Where had the old times gone?_

* * *

><p>When Gil came swaggering back, looking satisfied and smelling of citrus, Eli knew something was up. His usual grin was back on his face, and for that Eli was…not exactly pleased, but not exactly feeling empty anymore. In a way, he was rather relieved. He had been worried that his companion wasn't feeling well.<p>

Of course, he was only worried about the hindrance it would cause to his journey.

Nothing else.

At all.

He looked up to the other man, who was looking at him expectantly. "Are you ready to go?" Gil asked. "Or does my Holy Awesomeness need to wait for you?"

Eli smirked. _As if_. "Keh. You wish." He rose quickly and stretched, feeling his tense muscles relax. It was mid-afternoon, and the little flecks of sun through the trees were showing no mercy, making the thick, swampy air even more unbearable.

He joined Gil, and the two began to walk in a quite amiable silence. Now, instead of worrying, Eli found the silence to be quite peaceful, as Gil's face was relaxed now, and his air of agitation was now gone. It seemed that whatever he did in the forest had been a great help to the mood.

"Hey…"

Eli looked up quickly. "Hm? What is it?"

"…Do you think this will last? You 'n me bein' together, I mean." Eli caught a glance of the other man looking away, as if deeply embarrassed.

Eli furrowed his brows in thought. "That's a funny question…" he muttered. "Why would you ask?"

"N-No reason! I-I'm just wondering how long it'll take before my awesomeness rubs off on you. That's all. ..Yeah. Just…just forget I said anything, alright?"

They walked for a little while longer, Eli still contemplating. Then he said, "Well, we sure won't be parting anytime soon, that's for sure."

He didn't catch the quiet, relieved sigh.

* * *

><p><strong>Woo. Yeah. Another chapter. (is super pooped from trick-or-treating) Anyway, the intensity is getting really…INTENSE.<strong>

**Hurr.**

**Hurr.**

**See what I did thar?**


	5. Trapped

Chapter 5:

Gillian stared.

The squirrel stared back.

They had been like this for quite a while, Eli off to the side, snorting and trying to keep from bursting out into a fit of giggles.

Which was not manly.

At all.

Gillian, however, did not like the way that damn squirrel was looking at her. It had prying, beady little eyes, she was sure of it. And since she was _much_ too lazy to actually climb the tree, she had to settle with trying to glare the squirrel away. It had proven a worthy opponent, and they had been like this for a full five minutes.

"Gil"—Eli began, but was quickly shushed.

"Sh! Me 'n this squirrel are having an awesome mind duel!"

_Mind duel._ Eli snorted. "Well, if we get going, we can find more squirrels that you can make love to with your eyes." And he grabbed his arm, pulling him away despite his vehement protests.

Gil had been becoming progressively livelier and livelier every day, and Eli was discovering new things about the man, like how he sneezed approximately two times in forty-five seconds whenever he was bored, or when he ate, he often left a little bit of food behind so that any passing-by animals could "have a taste of awesomeness".

He also learned that Gil could be very private with his own body.

Of course, Eli didn't understand. Gil seemed to be very slim, with a bit of lean muscle. What would he want to hide?

Must be some townsfolk thing.

Eventually, Gil started walking on his own, and Eli was more than a bit relieved, because his arm had started to become more than a little tired. He could see the white-yellow, blinding brightness of the sun just up above, reminding him that it was only about midday and they still had quite a way to go. Gil already seemed to have forgotten about the little mishap earlier and was carrying on as if nothing had happened.

Of course, Gil wouldn't be Gil without his short-term memory loss.

Eli allowed his eyes to unconsciously drift toward his companion, not for the first time taking in his blood-red eyes that sometimes tinted magenta in the sunlight, the tufts of silvery hair sticking from his cap—Eli had once tried to take it off, only to earn a yelp and a reprehending from the person in question.

It was odd, really.

Gil seemed to be an incredibly open person, and yet he was so guarded. It was as if he was hiding a dark, dark secret and Eli couldn't help but subtly pry.

Suddenly, Eli stopped.

Gil, who had moved a few paces in front of him stopped and turned. "Hey, what's"—

"Move!" Eli shoved the man into a nearby bush and dived in with him. They lay there, the feeling of the prickly little branches feeling none-too-comfortable as the loud, thundering sound of horses' footsteps pounded through their ears. Eli had his hand over Gil's mouth, who had been letting out some rather unmanly shrieks.

"The king's men," Eli muttered. "They don't care to hurt, even kill commoners like us. The bastards." He spat on the ground, looking disgusted with it. Gil was unusually silent.

Both gasped as the silver tip of a blade protruded through their little dome of safety. "Come out easily," a Spanish accented voice growled, "And we won't kill you."

Eli swallowed. He'd had to make many decisions like this in his lifetime, but he knew that against the _King's_ soldiers he didn't stand a chance. He looked to Gil for support, only to find (to his absolute astonishment) that Gil had his face him his arms. His shoulders were shaking, and barely audible, muffled sobs could be heard.

"Shit…" he was murmuring. "Shit, shit, why _here_? Why now?"

"Move it!" The blade was thrust deeper in. Eli knew he didn't have much time. He quickly grabbed Gil's arm, who let out a squeal of protest, and pulled—no, dragged—Gil out of the bush.

His breath hitched in his throat, and his grip on Gil's hand tightened as the gravity of the situation finally dawned on him.

They were surrounded.

They were _trapped._

**Hey, you guys! Sorry for the long wait, school is eating me alive…**

**Anyway.**

**OH NOES! WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO OUR PROTAGONISTS? Read and review to find out. :3**

**So, yeah, not much perspective on Gil's part. I just wanted to show you what goes on in the crazy mind of Eli...**


	6. New Escape

Chapter 6:

Gillian couldn't breathe.

Gillian _couldn't breathe._

She was gasping, her eyes wide, her entire body shaking. Here she was, standing right next to the young hunter she'd grown so close to, and the best friend she'd had for years, about to shoot at her. Under her breath she was muttering strangled German, slipping back into her native tongue under the pressure of stress.

Her legs felt like pudding, and she could barely stand.

Antonio growled, jabbing his weapon in their direction. "I'm asking you _one more time_," he growled. "State your identity. Now!"

She couldn't take it anymore. "A-Antonio," she breathed. "Antonio…"

Antonio seemed taken aback, but regained his composure. "How do you know my name?" he spat.

"Antonio…" Gillian looked up, tears in her eyes. She purposefully did not look at Eli. She forced a smile through her sobs. "I'm smiling, see?" Trembling hands reached up to remove the cap—the cap that had been the root of her lies and her deceit. "I-I'm smiling." The cap came off. "The awesome me…is smiling."

Long silver hair tumbled down.

Gillian was crying openly now, unable to hinder the sobs wracking her body. "Antonio…I can't smile anymore."

She watched through blurry, obstructed vision as the gun slowly fell from Antonio's hands. He simply stared at her, his expression completely and totally dumbfounded, before dropping like a ragdoll to his knees. His face was hidden from view as he watched the ground, solemn in stature. "All…all hail Princess Gillian."

Eli took her hand and ran.

Gillian looked up, shocked out of her tears. "Eli…Eli, what are you doing? Eli!"

Eli looked back at her, smirking as if absolutely nothing had happened. "You idiot," he said smoothly. "We're running away."

Gillian felt her bottom lip tremble. "Is it someplace exciting?"

"I don't know."

"How will we sleep?"

"I don't care."

Gillian blinked, one last tear making its way down her cheek. A knowing smile nearly split her face, and she nearly laughed. She'd never felt happier.

"Let's go."

Heavy footsteps followed.

The young violet-eyed man watches them closely, scrutinizingly. It seems the young woman has finally revealed herself, he realizes. A ghost of a once-radiant smile graces his face, and golden tendrils blow into his face. He can feel the satisfaction and content coming from the young woman, but the man with her is unreadable.

He decides he shall continue to watch.

Watch, and yet never be seen.

It is quite a good show.

To be truthful, Eli hadn't exactly fully comprehended what just went on in the last twenty minutes.

Gil—no, Gillian—was a girl.

Gillian was a _girl_?

Gillian was a girl!

But it didn't stop there. Oh, no way. In addition to being a girl, Gillian was a _princess_!

How the hell did he miss _that_?

Eli shook his head as the fact that he'd been carrying Royal Cargo this whole entire time, and he didn't even notice it. And he didn't even realize that Gillian was a girl, either.

He looked behind him.

Or how nice he looked as a girl, for that matter.

Never mind that! The King's Army was chasing him now, probably thinking that he'd kidnapped "Princess Gillian" (in hindsight, grabbing her arm and running off probably wasn't the best choice) and were probably looking to behead him or something. He was a Wanted Man now.

He could strangle Gillian for that later. Right now he had to focus on trying to get to the next town with all of his body parts still intact. As much as he hated to admit it, he'd grown rather close to his little traveling companion, and losing him now would seem like…like such as waste. He wanted to keep traveling with Gillian, even if she was a girl (he still couldn't understand how he missed that).

Speaking of Gillian, his arm was beginning to feel heavy with dead weight. Confused, he looked back the check on Gillian.

The lazy bum was falling asleep on her feet! Eli nearly screamed in frustration. He paused and shook Gillian back and forth. "Gil! This is absolutely no time to be resting!" He could feel his stomach churning as the footfalls began to get closer to where they stood.

Frantically. Eli practically threw Gillian onto his back, hands latching to her legs as he went off on a full sprint, Gillian's breath in his ear. Trees whizzed past his vision, the sky became an endless scene of blue-green, silver hairs began to fly into his vision. Suddenly he felt as if he could run forever, as if he could simply escape all his troubles, escape the soldiers after him, with the woman he loved upon his back.

And, no. He didn't care that he just thought that.

_This_ was the adventure he had lusted for. The army chasing after him, the beautiful maiden—

Gillian let out a rather large snore.

-The maiden, the rustic view of the forest, his temples pounding, sweat rolling down his head, the sun beating upon his back—why, this was every man's dream!

Antonio couldn't exactly believe what was happening at the very moment. Here he was, chasing after a man who had _kidnapped_ his childhood friend—without even knowing that she was a girl—and Gillian actually wasn't protesting!

He wondered. Could this be the man Gillian wanted to marry? Immediately images of romantic and forbidden love filled the passionate Spaniard's head. He knew the king would never allow this.

That was why it was so _beautiful_.

He tripped over a tree root.

He heard his soldiers stop, and march back to him, concerned. "Captain, are you alright?" Antonio looked up from his place on the ground, a silly grin on his face.

"_Si_, soldier. Why don't we stop for today? Let's take a break, _si_?"

The rest were more than happy to comply.

The king was beside himself.

**Hi, there! (ducks as tomatoes are thrown at her) Hey…hey! I'm sorry, okay? I know I've been lazy but this chapter was really hard to type!**

**Besides…I didn't get very many reviews on that last chapter… (pouts)**

**Anyway, read and REVIEW!**


	7. Rising Danger

**HELLO WONDERFUL WORLD AND ALL WHO INHABIT IT—AHH!**

**(gets shot, then beaten to death with own spine)**

**Okay…maybe I deserve tha—(gets tomato thrown at her). …Hey!**

**I'm REALLY sorry about the lack of updates; this story kinda floated out of my peripheral for a little bit—and the fact that my Grandma is no longer with us kinda set me off track. But I promise I'll try and get this (and my other stories) up and running again as soon as possible.**

"You're a girl."

"Shut up."

"You're a _girl_."

"I know."

"And a princess to boot. Who would have thought?"

"Whatever." At the moment, the odd pair was situated upon a slightly browned hill, which had been slightly bitten with the first sharp teeth of winter. An equally chilling sign to both of them that winter would not spare them from its grasp any longer. Even the animals, Gillian grimly noted, had hushed their incessant chattering, in reverence of the coming of the cold.

"You realize we need shelter."

"I'm quite aware."

A snort. "'Quite?' _Now_ you choose to act like a woman?"

"Bastard," Gillian huffed under her breath. "Shut up. I'm trying to figure something out." Irritably she once again pushed a silver strand out of her face. It seemed to be more annoying than it used to be.

Had she really grown so used to being a man?

Okay. Okay. Not the best time to be thinking about her apparent gender confusion. Unconsciously she made a small trail in the stiff, prickly yellow grass with her finger as she tried to remember where exactly the next town was. It was quite sad, really. She was the princess of this country and she didn't even know the where the towns were. Really, she needed to get out more often!

She was jerked from this vein of thought when the sound of Eli's rough, tired voice cut through the silence.

"Perhaps we should set up camp," he said, and Gillian turned quickly to him to see if she could find any signs of mocking amusement in his expression. Surprisingly, there was only resigned weariness—it seemed as if the rush of adrenaline from earlier had quickly run out, leaving Eli completely drained. Gillian couldn't find it in her heart to blame him either.

Shifting her eyes downward, Gillian quietly conceded, "I supposed we should."

Tension was practically oozing out of the silence in the air. Eli dutifully brought in firewood while Gillian set up the fire. As the blazes rose and tinged her face pink, she dully thought back to a short, rather cryptic conversation they'd had when Gillian was a "man".

She remembered speaking about the fire and its purpose.

She remembered that purple-eyed stranger.

Gillian didn't know why he seemed to be of so much importance to her. He should have been just another travelling man, maybe looking for a home, shelter, and possibly offering advice to other travellers. They weren't uncommon around these parts—Gillian knew this. So why-?

"I brought the wood," Eli called from afar.

Gillian didn't answer.

"You have information on the princess, da?"

Diluted violet eyes shifted downwards and the answering, "Yes," was carried on the breath of his next exhale. "Currently she is travelling with a lower-class huntsman. Their whereabouts at the moment are unknown."

The tinkling of a glass bottle of vodka. An evil glint in dark purple eyes. "Then you will find them, da?"

A shudder. "Y-Yes, King Ivan."

A small laugh. The smashing of the vodka bottle. "Think, dear Mathew. You are now that much closer to curing your brother—Alfred, yes?—now, da?"

"D-d-da."

The violet-eyed man hurriedly scurried out as the purple-eyed king began to violently laugh.

**Whaaat? I made Canada EVIL?**

…**It's always the quiet ones.**

**And sorry for the short chapter! Just trying to get into the characters' heads. I PROMISE there will be more action next chapter. :D**


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